Stanford linebacker A.J. Tarpley speaks to the media during the annual Bay Area College Football media day at Levi's Stadium on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Washburn)

Photo: Alex Washburn, Associated Press

Stanford linebacker A.J. Tarpley speaks to the media during the...

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Stanford wide receiver Ty Montgomery speaks to the media during the annual Bay Area College Football media day at Levi's Stadium on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Washburn)

Tight ends made just 10 of Stanford's 190 receptions last season, a stunning number considering the school's recent track record for turning out NFL-caliber tight ends.

Maybe the position will return to being a big part of the passing game this season. A half-dozen candidates are in the mix to start, but De La Salle-Concord alum Austin Hooper enters training camp Monday as the man to beat.

The depth chart "starts with Austin Hooper," head coach David Shaw said Wednesday at the Bay Area college football media day at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

The 6-foot-4, 249-pound redshirt freshman was "a physical presence at the line" in spring drills, to the point where, according to Shaw, there might be less of a need for an extra offensive lineman on some plays than there was last season.

"He's got great, soft hands; he's athletic enough to run routes," Shaw said. "We've told him that our expectations were for him to be our next Jimmy Dray, that complete tight end, that physical pass blocker, that touchdown maker." Dray is in his fifth NFL season, now with the Browns.

Media day was held at the spanking new stadium, where the Cardinal hope to take their third straight Pac-12 title in the conference championship game Dec. 5.

To get back there, they'll need to fill a host of holes, especially on the offensive line, which lost four starters. To say Shaw is satisfied with the potential replacements would be a gross understatement.

"I don't mind saying it: This is the most talented offensive line that we've had since we've been here," he said.

But the talent of people like Andrus Peat, Josh Garnett, Graham Shuler and Kyle Murphy won't mean much unless the group jells quickly, he said. It had better if Stanford is to knock off USC in the second game of the season.

The only starting spot in the O-line to be decided in camp, it appears, is at right guard, where Brendon Austin and Johnny Caspers will duel.

There are a few other position fights of note, aside from the well-publicized competition among Barry Sanders and several others at running back.

According to Shaw, Kyle Olugbode will have the edge at free safety going into camp over converted wideout Kodi Whitfield. Another major tussle is between Joe Hemschoot and Blake Martinez at one inside-linebacker spot.

Briefly: Wednesday's event was hosted by the San Francisco Bowl, which moves from AT&T Park to Levi's this year and will take place Dec. 30. This time the bowl gets the fourth-best Pac-12 team and a top-half finisher from the Big Ten. ... Running back Remound Wright, suspended in spring ball for disciplinary reasons for an undisclosed violation, also will miss the first week of training camp to complete his punishment.